The Downstaging Concept in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Spotlight on Ketamine
Alina Wilkowska, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała
International Journal of Molecular Sciences November 23, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314605 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Topics | Depression Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Antidepressant Depression economics Resistance ecology Intensive care medicine Disease Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 17 |
| Key points | Argues that ketamine as an add-on treatment for resistant major depressive disorder can reverse the process of increasing treatment resistance and global worsening of functioning. |
Abstract
Treatment-resistant depression is a pleomorphic phenomenon occurring in 30% of patients with depression. The chance to achieve remission decreases with every subsequent episode. It constitutes a significant part of the global disease burden, causes increased morbidity and mortality, and is associated with poor quality of life. It involves multiple difficult-to-treat episodes, with increasing resistance over time. The concept of staging captures the process of changes causing increasing treatment resistance and global worsening of functioning in all areas of life. Ketamine is a novel rapid-acting antidepressant with neuroplastic potential. Here, we argue that ketamine use as an add-on treatment of resistant major depressive disorder, based on its unique pharmacological properties, can reverse this process, give hope to patients, and prevent therapeutic nihilism.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on ketamine for depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| An Integrative Approach to Ketamine Therapy May Enhance Multiple Dimensions of Efficacy: Improving Therapeutic Outcomes With Treatment Resistant Depression. | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Arketamine for cognitive impairment in psychiatric disorders | 2023 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Montreal model: an integrative biomedical-psychedelic approach to ketamine for severe treatment-resistant depression | 2023 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Ketamine in Bipolar Disorder: A Review | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Rethinking the role of TRKB in the action of antidepressants and psychedelics. | 2024 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |